HP just scored some big points with graphic artists with its DreamColor display, giving those eagle-eyed pros a relatively cheap LED-backlit 24-inch display that can show them astonishingly subtle differences between a billion colors. Usually, displays this good cost way over $10K, and many are old-timey CRTs, but this HP DreamColor LP2480xz changes all that, selling for $3499.

I had a chance to get a close-up look at this display on a visit to DreamWorks (creators of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda) in Hollywood, and I have never seen such vivid colors on a computer monitor before. It’s also extremely easy to use a particular set of colors, calibrated specifically for a group of artists who are all using perfectly matched displays.

For instance, DreamWorks has a certain color space it likes to work with, and this DreamColor monitor lets all its artists be sure they’re working with the same palette. HP already has a printer that’s equally adept at this colorful trick. In fact, the whole DreamColor idea is to make colors look the same across all devices and media. The company's certainly off to a great start. Sure, you could get a 30-inch display for a lot less than $3500, but it wouldn't be nearly this accurate or colorful. Check out the gallery for lots more pics.